Dean Court expansion not feasible, say Bournemouth

Championship winners Bournemouth will not expand their Dean Court stadium for their first Premier League campaign.

Published

18 May 2015

Bournemouth will not increase the capacity at Dean Court next season as the timescales for having the stadium ready for the Premier League are not feasible.

Eddie Howe's side claimed the Championship title by one point earlier this month to book their place in the top flight for the first time, but their home ground holds just 11,700 fans.

However, chief executive Neill Blake says that expansion is not in the cards in the short term, with other aspects of infrastructure upgrade taking priority, as well as investment in the playing squad.

"When all of the factors were weighed up, it just wasn't feasible to push ahead with the expansion of the stadium," Blake told the club's official website.

"There are a vast number of demands for change behind the scenes placed on any club following promotion to the Premier League. We have to ensure we meet those demands in time for next season.

"It will take a great deal of planning, time and hard work to meet the guidelines within the space of the next few months, and factoring in the expansion of the south stand as well was virtually impossible.

"In addition, our first priority is to invest in the squad and football staff infrastructure to support boss Eddie Howe and his coaching staff, which we believe is the best strategy to maintain our Premier League status."